Beans on toast is the only meal a Leeds woman could eat for weeks while struggling to afford to feed both herself and her cat.
Times have been so tough for Kelly Blakeley since she lost her job at the start of the pandemic that she relies on a food bank in Chapeltown. The former retail worker dotes on her cat Tigger, a tabby who she rescued from the streets, to the point where she'll put his needs first.
The 41-year-old, who receives Jobseeker’s Allowance, spoke to LeedsLive at St Giles Trust Pantry, which she's been using since August 2021. She said: “No matter what money I’ve got left over after paying the bills, no matter whether I could afford to buy food for myself, my cat came first and I always came second. So I could live on beans and toast for a fortnight so I could feed my cat. I’ve lived on beans on toast and eggs on toast.
